We herein report a highly active catalyst system using for the first time a thiadiazolidine
1-oxide as a ligand for palladium in the Mizoroki–Heck reaction. Excellent yields of stilbenes
derived from aryl iodides and bromides have been achieved using as little as 0.00002 mol%
catalyst. The ligand/palladium system can be stored as a stock solution open to air at room
temperature with no observable loss of activity for a period of several weeks/months.